This invention relates generally to dolls and toy figures and particularly to methods and apparatus for enhancing dolls and toy figures.
Dolls and toy figures are perhaps among the oldest types of toys known and recorded in history. From initial simple handmade crude replicas of humans and animals through today""s complex batter-powered electronically controlled and operated dolls and toy figures, a virtually unending development and improvement process has been in progress. Often the term xe2x80x9cdollsxe2x80x9d is utilized, for the most part, referring to human-like figures while the term xe2x80x9ctoy figuresxe2x80x9d is generally descriptive of a variety of additional figures both human-like and animal-like as well as action figures and fantasy figures. While the distinction between dolls and toy figures may have some purpose in many instances, with respect to the present invention, the term dolls as used herein refers and applies to virtually any type of doll or toy figure collectively. The invention relates generally particularly to dolls having facial features.
As dolls became commercial products, practitioner""s in the toy arts endeavored to improve the interest and play value of such dolls. With the increasing and continuing popularity of dolls, practitioner""s in the toy arts have produced a virtually endless variety of dolls. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,553 issued to Goozner sets forth a BLANK-FACED CHILD""S DOLL having a doll assembly which includes a stuffed doll body supporting a head which in turn supports a blank face portion of a single uniform color. The face portion is void of any facial features and is formed with slight concave depressions suggesting the locations of eyes and a mouth. The surface of the blank face portion is made to except the markings of crayons or similar nonpermanent drawing materials. As a result, a child user is able to draw facial features thereon. Such features are removable with a wiping cloth as desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,985 issued to Cearfoss sets forth a DOLL WITH A FACE FLAP OVERLYING A MARKABLE FACE PLATE which includes a permanently imprinted doll-face upon a flap overlying a blank face plate both of which are supported on the doll""s head. When the flap is moved to its downward position the doll is played in a conventional manner. Conversely, the flap is raised, the blank face plate is revealed allowing the child user to draw face designs thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,386 issued to Kinberg sets forth a READILY ERASABLE DOLL FACE ASSEMBLY having a doll body supporting a head portion in a substantially conventional fabrication. The head is further provided with a readily erasable face made from a sheet of translucent synthetic resin coated with or incorporating an iridescent dye. The iridescent dye is brought into intimate contract with the face plate under pressure and releasably adheres thereto. As a result, a child user is able to employ a conventional stylus or the like to draw erasable lines or features upon the face plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,927 issued to Newman sets forth MEANS AND METHOD OF SHOWING FEELINGS applicable to a doll form. The doll is configured to receive and support interchangeable faces having different expressions depicted thereon to provide expression of feelings.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,378 issued to George et al. sets forth a REALISTIC DOLL HEAD SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREFORE utilized in producing dolls having facial appearance of particular children. The user employs ten facial characteristics set forth in a chart to select those facial characteristics most closely resembling the facial appearance of a child. The facial characteristics that are selected comprise seven face shapes as well as variations of skin tone, eye color, eyelash color, eyebrow color and shape as well as hair color, cut, length and style. The selected characteristics are then applied to the doll head to produce a one of a kind doll closely resembling the selected child.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,501 issued to Girelli sets forth a DOLL""S HEAD AND METHOD OF FABRICATIONS utilizing a first sheet of polyester capable of stretching in two perpendicular directions together with a first lining of polyester fabric which are attached to opposite sides of a first thick sheet. In response to heat and pressure molding, a face portion of a doll and an integral neck extension are formed. The crown portion of the doll is sewn to the face portion and neck extension.
In a related art, U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,738 issued to Bardeen et al. sets forth a STENCIL AND KIT FOR TRANSFERRING IMAGES AND METHOD THEREFORE which is adapted for use in transferring image to a substrate where the image is formed by an ensemble of individual features. The stencil comprises a sheet of flexible material having a plurality of apertures formed therein. The apertures are organized in aperture sets such that the apertures in each set outline a respective individual feature. The aperture sets together define the predetermined image to be transferred. Examples are shown in transferring a stenciled image to objects such as a vegetable.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,425 issued to Nelson et al. sets forth a BOARDER, CORNER AND CUTOUT TEMPLATE for guiding a writing or cutting implement to form a plurality of patterns.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,305 issued to Yasoshimi sets forth a STENCIL CASE AND STENCIL SET IN A CASE which stores ink pads, stencil brushes and stencils. The case includes a base and a lid providing several ink pads storage slots for storing different colors of ink pads in parallel within the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,893 issued to Casale sets forth a SHAPE RETAINING STENCIL FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE PLACEMENT for use in placement of images upon non flat objects and surfaces. The stencil is formed of a shape retaining material on which a plurality of apertures defining a pattern have been formed. The material is placed against the non flat surface and marks are made through the apertures of the sheet onto the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,950,537 issued to Fixen and U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,900 issued to Volk set forth examples of stencil kits.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,783 issued to Harper; U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,627 issued to Imamaki and U.S. Pat. No. 3,234,681 issued to De Lucia set forth various activity set materials having general relationship to the present invention.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have to some extent improved the art and have in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for evermore improved, interesting and amusing doll""s and doll center play sets.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved doll. It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved doll having an associated play set which facilitates changing or augmenting the features of the doll. It is a still more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved doll having changeable features which is particularly suited for use by young children.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a doll comprising: a doll body having a head defining a face surface; a stencil mask having a faceplate shaped to generally overlie the face surface and defining a plurality of apertures; and a plurality of feature stamps each having a raised image of a feature to form a stamp for imprinting a facial feature when the feature stamp is moved through one of the apertures to contact the face surface, the stencil mask functioning to locate the imprinting of facial features upon the face surface.